Meet Mr. May!

 Cooper

Age: 23 months

Weight: 12.45#, slightly overweight

Gender: Neutered male

Demeanor at the vet's office:  Sweet boy!
Feline Friends: Angus, Mozart and Hogan

Ever know a cat described as charm and love itself?  Well, I’m that kind of cat – My name is Cooper.  In September of 2011, Dad responded to an adoption ad for a Maine Coon.  They were directed to a pet store in another town.  There I was in a middle cage, surrounded by other kittens, looking lost and confused.  The caretaker pointed me out to Dad, who held me to gauge my temperament.  I was calm in his arms and when we went into another room with other people, I clung to him for security.  

 Mom wondered what was wrong with my eye and paw.  I had an accident in the bathtub where the caretaker kept me and other kittens.  Fortunately, I was brought in for medical attention.  My eye doesn't fully close while I'm sleeping, but my vision is OK.  The Pet Store adoption area was like a circus and Mom felt sorry for me.  Although I was no Maine Coon, Dad loved me on the spot.  Before the paperwork was completed, I was in Mom's arms outside in the car.  Once home, I was sequestered in the upstairs suite as is customary when introducing a new cat to a cat-home.  

E-cats re-checked my vision; my paw had ringworm so I was treated for that.  Mom and dad would play with me in my room, change clothes, and go back to my new brothers.  I saw one brother in particular through the door as it opened a few times.  When I was free to meet my brothers, the door was opened and I rushed out.  Hogan (Ho-ho) was waiting for me.  He jumped on me and we ran down the steps together.  We've been together ever since.  

I have two older brothers, Angus-10, Mozie-8.  Hogan is two, and I will be two this month.  My older brothers and I don't interact much, but you can find me with Hogan.  In fact, I smelled like Hogan's breath for the first few weeks out of my room!  Hogan is long and lean; I am sturdy and small.  We zip through the house together and I can match Hogan step for step.  On occasion he tests his mettle with me but it always ends in a stalemate of licking each other.  

Despite my damaged eye, I am the #1 flycatcher in the house.  They just don't escape me!  Even when I'm out on the Catio, I carry my fresh catch into the house for inspection.  My favorite toy is a blue mouse on an elastic string.  I carry it around and deliver it to Mom's side of the bed, and Dad's desk in his office.  I also love Nasty Santa - he's not naughty, but he's been stitched and washed a number of times so I'm grateful he's still intact.  My brothers and I seem to time-share all the cat beds, people beds, people chairs, windowsills, and cat trees found throughout the house.  Now that we're older, Ho-ho and I don't fit into most of the beds together.  There's a large one atop the armoire.  When Ho-ho and I are sleeping there together, it makes Mom so happy as he and I are still very close.  Dad loves to take pictures of me and that is why you see me as Mr. May in this year's calendar.  

Cooper and Ho-Ho, snuggling

When it is feeding time, you will see me prancing in the kitchen, back arched, wrapping my boa of a tail around the neck of my brothers.  I just get so excited!  I'm a good eater; Angus and I eat whatever is served.  As they call Hogan Ho-ho, Mom and Dad call me Cu-cu, which morphed into Cuckleberry.  If I don't get my bowl fast enough, I "meow" which is more like a long, piercing squeak.  Hence, I'm sometimes called Squeakleberry.  

I nurse Mom's earlobe around 4 a.m.  Despite the early hour, she recalls the caretaker's stories of my early life and she hugs me tight – glad that I’m hers.  When I drew blood on her earlobe, I had to be weaned.  Now I simply snuggle and purr on Mom.  When company comes over, I run and hide.  Mom calls to me and tells me when they are gone.  I have a very sweet, shy nature, tho I'm known for stealing things from off of dad's desk.  

Dad makes juggling balls.  On occasion, a ball was found in different areas of the house.  One day, five balls were missing.  Dad looked everywhere and couldn't find them.  Eventually, they were discovered in a pile under the table in a corner where the TV is.  I guess I was putting my "babies" in a nest.  Dad knows to hide them from me now.  I can hear mom and dad chuckle from time to time when they look at my small stature and laugh as they recall that they were told that I was a Maine Coon.  Grateful to fate, they are very happy to have me.  All I ever wanted was to be loved - and I am.

Cooper, happy and loved!